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The best of the best in Darwin to work on disaster response exercise.

Darwin’s own National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre (NCCTRC) is hosting a world’s first training exercise on disaster response coordination.

The NCCTRC working with the World Health Organization (WHO), NCCTRC will have a team of international participants in an ‘Emergency Medical Team Coordination Cell’ disaster simulation.

Project lead Dr Ian Norton said the aim of the exercise is to create a group of super skilled disaster professionals that government can turn to when major disasters occur.

“The simulation exercise is based on real disaster response situations and really tests the team’s ability to respond and work safely as a team,” said Dr Norton.

“This week the group has worked together testing theories and gaining new knowledge from their international disaster counterparts; today they put those concepts into practice in virtual conditions.”Dr Nicholas Coatsworth, Executive Director, NCCTRC said the pilot training for Foreign Medical Teams coordinators is being conducted in Darwin across the week involving both theoretical and practical work.“The culmination of the week is a 16 hour exercise where students will be required to establish coordination centres following a category 5 cyclone in the mythical country of Namuna,” said Dr Coatsworth. “During this exercise, three teams of coordinators will be challenged to create their management cell and simulate the first hours of a post cyclone impact.“In many ways, the exercise mimics the aftermath of a cyclone of the intensity and speed of Cyclone Tracy. It is not inconceivable, that should a similar event again impact Darwin, then a centre as being tested during this exercise could be established in a similar location.

Australia through the NCCTRC and AUSMAT has led the way in developing, promoting and adhering to the highest standard of medical response to disasters.

Darwin provides a wealth of training and education benefits. The NCCTRC has an international reputation for excellence in training and exercising, as well as being the base for the AUSMAT capability, and the deployment centre for the national deployment equipment. With the NCCTRC being a long term collaborator on the FMT project, Darwin was chosen by the WHO as an obvious host for this pilot course.